Abilene Reporter News All Big Country 3A team

[injuredinmelee]

Class 3A team heavy with talent
By Troy Shockley / Reporter-News Staff Writer
January 21, 2005




2004 Class 3A All-Big Country Team

Coach of the Year - Hugh Sandifer, Wylie

Newcomer of the Year - Dee Walker, Snyder

Offensive Player of the Year - Dee Walker, Snyder

Defensive Player of the Year - Nick Chiappone, Clyde

FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Case Keenum, Wylie, junior, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, 161-for-273 passing for 2,269 yards, 13 TDs and 12 interceptions, 144 carries for 580 yards and 14 TDs.

C - Levi Wolfe, Wylie, senior, 6-foot-0, 255 pounds, 57 pancakes, 31 knockdowns, graded out 85.4 percent.

OL - Tyler Crump, Wylie, senior, 6-foot-3, 325 pounds, 91 pancakes, 38 knock downs, graded out 89.2 percent.

OL - Zach Gilbert, Sweetwater, senior, 6-foot, 240 pounds, 56 cut blocks, 20 pancake blocks, graded out at 92 percent on the year.

OL - Josh Camacho, Sweetwater, senior, 6-foot, 260 pounds, 45 cut blocks, 18 pancake blocks, graded out at 90 percent on the year.

OL - Zach Garcia, Snyder, senior, 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, graded out at 92 percent, 14 drives, 4 pins, 18 knockdowns, only allowed 1 sack this season. Helped lead an offense that rushed for 3,691 yards and passed for 1,345 yards. First team all-district and all-state honorable mention.

TE - Josh Archer, Wylie, senior, 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, 19 catches for 250 yards, 3 TDs.

WR - Josh Poorman, Wylie, senior, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, 45 catches for 702 yards and 5 TDs.

WR - Lico Castillo, Snyder, senior, 6-foot, 160 pounds, 33 receptions for 741 yards and 10 TDs, 1 two-point conversion. Set the school record for TD catches on the year.

RB - Mike Kiger, Wylie, senior, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, 239 carries for 1,566 yards and 21 TDs, 40 catches for 586 yards and 1 TD.

RB - Dee Walker, Snyder, senior, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, 351 carries for 2,355 (6.7 yards per attempt) 26 rushing TDs, caught 12 passes for 216 yards and 2 TDs and returned 1 kickoff for 90 yards for a TD against Wylie, District Offensive MVP.

P - Kendall Carrillo, Sweetwater, junior, 6-foot, 180 pounds, 48 punts for an average of 38.7 yards per attempt.

K - Lico Castillo, Snyder, senior, 6-foot, 160 pounds. 17 touchbacks, 3-of-5 on field goals, 41 PATs, 3 successful onside kicks, 49.3 yard average on kickoffs with 17 touchbacks.


FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE

DL - D'Angelo Davis, Snyder, senior, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, 80 unassisted tackles, 30 assisted, 20 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 21 hurries, 1 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick.

DL - Chris Lambert, Comanche, senior, 6-foot, 181 pounds, 54 tackles, 1 caused fumble, 1 recovered fumble, 4 sacks, 4 tackles for loss.

DL - Jared Robertson, Wylie, junior, 6-foot, 220 pounds, 41 unassisted tackles, 23 assisted tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 9 quarterback sacks, 35 quarterback pressures, 10 caused fumbles.

DL - Brady Bounds, Wylie, senior, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, 43 solo tackles, 26 assisted tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback pressures.

LB - Joseph Banyard, Sweetwater, sophomore, 16 solo tackles, 122 assisted tackles, 138 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 3 broken passes, 3 sacks, 4 hurries, 2 touchdowns - 1 on a fumble recovery and another on an interception - 3 caused fumbles caused, 4 recovered fumbles.

LB - Scott Wilkerson, Clyde, senior, 6-foot, 185 pounds, 73 solo tackles, 52 assisted tackles, 125 total tackles, 5 sacks, 2 quarterback pressures, 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries.

LB - Nick Chiappone, Clyde, senior, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, 57 solo tackles, 44 assisted tackles, 101 total tackles, 15 sacks, 17 quarterback pressures, 2 caused fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble returned for a TD. Also missed one game against Merkel and was in the hospital due to a staph infection but was back the next week.

CB - Scott Bearden, Comanche, senior, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds, 52 tackles, 6 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries.

CB - Trevor Hood, Merkel, junior, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds, 52 tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 6 pass breakups.

S - Brittan Pittman, Sweetwater, junior, 5-foot-10, 155 pounds, 8 solo tackles, 64 assisted tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 8 interceptions, 10 passes broken up, 1 caused fumble, 1 recovered fumble.

S - Kendall Carrillo, Sweetwater, junior, 6-foot, 180 pounds, 34 solo tackles, 134 assisted tackles, 168 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 6 passes broken up, 1 sack, 2 fumbles caused, 2 fumbles recovered, District 4-3A Defensive MVP.

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE

QB - Riley Lambert, Merkel, senior, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, 149 carries for 893 yards, 12 touchdowns, 60-of-99 passing for 649 yards, 6 touchdowns.

QB - Jeremy Thompson, Sweetwater, senior, 6-foot, 155 pounds, 156 rushes for 1,289 yards and eight touchdowns rushing, 29-of-64 passing for 494 yards and four touchdowns.

QB - Jacob Agnew, Clyde, junior, 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, 83-of-172 passing for 1,168 yards with 15 interceptions and 11 touchdowns. Also rushed 82 times for 116 yards and 6 touchdowns.

QB - Jeremy Heatley, Breckenridge, junior, 6-foot-1, 186 pounds

C - Lance Clark, Sweetwater, junior, 5-foot-11, 242 pounds, graded out at 79 percent for the year, had 26 cut blocks and 12 pancakes.

OL - Chase Ashworth, Snyder, junior, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, first team all-district, 6 drives, 8 knockdowns, graded over 90 percent twice.

OL - Eric Martinez, Snyder, junior, 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, 76 unassisted tackles, 30 assisted tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, 5 interceptions - 1 returned for a TD - and 1 fumble recovery.

OL - Paul Pitzer, Breckenridge, senior, 5-foot-8, 200 pounds

OL - Wade Lawson, Merkel, senior, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. Anchored offense that went for 2,372 yards rushing and 657 yards passing, second team all-district.

TE - Scott Wilkerson, Clyde, senior, 6-foot, 185 pounds, 20 receptions for 304 yards and 2 TDs.

WR - Andrew Young, Comanche, wide receiver, senior, 5-foot-10, 155 pounds, 36 receptions for 524 yards and 6 touchdowns.

WR - Stephen Cooper, Breckenridge, 6-foot, 170 pounds, 39 catches for 684 yards, 8 TDs.

RB - Shelden Feist, Comanche, running back, junior, 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, 181 carries for 1,361 yards and 13 touchdowns, District 8-3A tri-MVP (offense)

RB - Kendall Carrillo, Sweetwater, running back, junior, 6-foot, 180 pounds, 112 rushes for 803 yards and 15 touchdowns, six receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown.

RB - Alan Copeland, Sweetwater, senior, 5-foot-6, 192 pounds, 102 rushes for 774 yards and 11 touchdowns, six receptions for 80 yards

RB - Joseph Banyard, Sweetwater, sophomore, 131 rushes for 681 yards and 12 touchdowns, 8 receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown, District 4-3A Offensive Newcomer

UP - Chayden Feist, Comanche, senior, 5-foot-9, 150 pounds, 489 yards rushing, 12 punt returns for 225 yards and one touchdown, 15 kickoff returns for 402 yards and one touchdown.

P - Lico Castillo, Snyder, senior, 6-foot, 160 pounds, 41 punts for 39.1 yards per punt. Four punts landed inside of the 10 yard line.

K - Tyler Driskill, 45-of-50 on PATs, 5-of-10 on field goals with a long of 32 yards.

K - Parker Morrow, Sweetwater, junior, 5-foot-8, 140 pounds, went 63-of-71 on PATs and was 2-of-2 on field goals.

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE

DL - Orlando Vasquez, Snyder, junior, 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, 42 tackles, 25 assisted tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks - 1 of them for a safety - and 1 fumble recovery.

DL - Casey Walton, Clyde, senior, 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, 19 solo tackles, 27 assisted tackles, 9 pressures, 1 caused fumble, 5 sacks, first team all-district

DL - Garrett Clayton, Sweetwater, senior, 5-foot-8, 241 pounds, first team all-district, 5 solo, 86 assists, 6 tfl, 2 sacks, 3 hurries, caused 6 fumbles, recovered 1 fumble.

DL - Chad Copeland, Wylie, senior, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, 24 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 11 hurried passes. first team all-district.

LB - Jacob Jennings, Wylie, junior, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, 64 solo tackles, 36 assisted tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 7 hurried passes.

LB - Jeremy Holland, Comanche, senior, 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, 93 tackles, eight tackles for loss, District 8-3A defensive co-MVP.

LB - Justin Adams, Sweetwater, sophomore, 11 solo tackles, 131 assisted tackles, 142 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, one pass broken up, two sacks, five hurries, one touchdown on a fr, two fumbles caused, two fumbles recovered.

CB - John Sugay, Wylie, senior, 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, 42 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, 1 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 7 batted passes.

CB - Jeremy Torrez, Snyder, junior, 5-foot-8, 140 pounds, 5 interceptions - 1 returned 102 yards for a touchdown - 4 tackles.

CB - Dee Walker, Snyder, senior, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, 22 tackles and 1 interception. Also averaged 40 yards per kick return.

S - Riley Lambert, Merkel, senior, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, 57 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries.

S - Garrett Pinson, Snyder, junior, 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, 67 unassisted tackles, 26 assisted tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions, 1 blocked punt, 1 blocked field goal, all-state honorable mention.


SELECTION PROCESS

Local and area athletes from Class 3A schools who were nominated for consideration on the Associated Press Sports Editors All-State team were automatically considered as All-Big Country nominees, as were ALL athletes whose coaches sent All-Big Country nominations directly to the Reporter-News.

[Snyder_TigerFan]

The article also contained this report....

Class 3A team heavy with talent
By Troy Shockley / Reporter-News Staff Writer
January 21, 2005

Collectively, District 4-3A was arguably the best district in the state this season.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the best the Big Country had to offer also called District 4-3A home.

Snyder senior Dee Walker headlines the 2004 Abilene Reporter-News Class 3A All-Big Country team, claiming not only the Newcomer of the Year award, but the title of Offensive Player of the Year as well.

''It's very exciting,'' Walker said. ''I've worked hard for I don't know how many years, and it seemed like I had so many years that were so frustrating. But this year everything came together for me and it felt so good.''

After leading Wylie High School to its first-ever state football championship, Bulldog coach Hugh Sandifer has been named the Class 3A All-Big Country Coach of the Year.

While Clyde High School struggled to an overall mark of 3-7 and a disappointing 0-4 district finish, on bright spot for these Bulldogs was senior linebacker Nick Chiappone, who has been named the Class 3A All-Big Country Defensive Player of the Year.

While Snyder and Clyde may have had different team results - the Tigers advanced to the state semifinals - Chiappone and Walker have something in common: great individual statistics.

In his first season at Snyder following a move from Arizona, Walker began turning heads almost immediately. The senior finished the season with 351 carries for 2,355 yards - 6.7 yards per attempt - and 26 touchdowns. Walker also caught 12 passes for 216 yards (18 yards per grab) and two touchdowns. Walker found the end zone on one other occasion, returning a kickoff 90 yards against Wylie.

Snyder coach Chad Rogers said that even more important than the tangibles Walker brings to the field, however, are the things that will never show up in a box score.

''He's just an outstanding young man,'' Rogers said. ''He does things right. One of his biggest assets is the level of confidence he brings up in the players around him.

''He made it a lot of fun, that's for sure.''

And, despite his competitive drive, Rogers said the senior never let his intensity get the best of him.

''He never ran his mouth on the field,'' Rogers said. ''He scored almost 30 touchdowns and after every one he turned around and handed the ball to the official. The way he acted when he scored at Texas Stadium was the same way he acted when he scored in Levelland. That's classy.''

While he is also hoping coaches will take note of his accomplishments this season, Walker continues to redirect praise to his teammates.

''I'd never been around something that was so oriented toward a team and not 'me' or 'I' any individual stats,'' Walker said. Everybody here brings something to this team.

''This kind of secures my status for this season, but our line was amazing this year. That was the best line I've ever run behind and (these awards) should just as well be theirs. Behind my name should be all seven of theirs.''

Like Walker, Chiappone seemed to perform at the top of his game every Friday night.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior linebacker finished the year with 57 solo tackles, 44 assisted tackles and 17 quarterback pressures. He also caused two fumbles and recovered another two loose balls, returning one for a touchdown.

The most glaring statistic boasted by Chiappone this season, though, was his incredible 15 quarterback sacks.

Perhaps even more amazing is Chiappone built his on-field resume in just nine games. Clyde didn't have any postseason games, and Chiappone missed the Oct. 29 contest against Merkel when a staph infection landed him in the hospital.

''Nick is one of those kids that leads by example,'' Clyde coach Tom Slagle said. ''He'll outwork everybody we've got.

''When he's on the field, they feel like we're going to be a better football team. They know he's put in the time and he's going to play his heart out for them.''

Slagle added that Chiappone - a district champion golfer last year as well - doesn't even quit when the season is over. While he doesn't move from football straight into basketball like many others, he continues to be a presence in the weight room nearly every day.

It is that hard work and dedication that have gotten Chiappone to this point, and he said it's nice to see that time come to fruition.

''It's a great honor,'' Chiappone said. ''There weren't a whole lot of coaches scouting out games in Clyde this season, and so hopefully it'll show some college coaches what I've got.

''I've worked hard ever since my eighth-grade year. I've been in the weight room four or five days a week, every week, and I guess it's starting to pay off now.''

While Sandifer did not win a state championship without the benefit of some good, solid players - the Bulldogs boast eight first-team All-Big Country players - Sandifer put together Wylie's title run by putting together a team.

''We all feel like we're part of a big team and everyone on our staff does a good job of contributing to that,'' Sandifer said. ''That's what we teach the players, and we're no exception. We feel like we've got a very solid coaching staff, and I've been very fortunate.''

[Masked Rider]

Mike Kiger from Abilene Wylie is the best player I've ever watched. He deserves everything he has gotten. He's a great kid and a great football player. He knows how to run, catch, play defense, return kicks, block kicks, and win state chapionships!Way to go Kiger!!!